Every day of our Faith in Practice medical mission week starts with an early morning devotional. This morning, our clergy member Gay Jeffery started our day off reading Psalm 37, verses 7 and 8 to the team. In summary of the psalm, she said “My prayer for us today is that we remember that we are touching the face of God. In the same way, we are touched by God when we minister to the people at the clinic.” It was a reminder that while our days are long and the work can be tiring here in Guatemala, we all feel blessed to be here.
Team Thompson was able to see hundreds of patients on our first clinic day. I was told that a group of patients had arrived from a senior home nearby. In a culture where elders are generally well cared for by family members, these patients had been abandoned by their family in the past. Many of them needed wheelchairs and were accommodated by our mobility clinic.
Doctor Hilary had a 29-year-old male patient who shared a story with her that reflects the sad reality for many in Guatemala. When this patient was 16 years old, he was attacked by people whom he knew who wanted to steal his motorcycle. Stolen motorcycles end up being sold for parts or sold over the border in Honduras. Vice versa in the same market, cars are often stolen in Honduras and sold here in Guatemala. The young man wouldn’t give up his motorcycle and he ended up with two gunshot wounds in his chest and abdomen. He suffered two punctured lungs, a splenectomy and a partial liver resection. Because of this, his chance of having infections has increased necessitating an injection every few years to prevent pneumonia. But he has made the most of his life and is now an electrician and musician.
Our clinic days are filled with stories of hardship and overcoming unbelievable obstacles. Every member of Team Thompson plays a part in making the lives of our patients a bit better.
Ruth Lacey
Team Blogger & Photographer
